Leveling machine



Dec. 28, 1948. F, MOONEY 2,457,172

LEVELING MACHINE Filed July 16, 1947 ZSheets-Sheet 1 Z Q J /5 /a o v es. 2, 1948. F. L. MOQNEY 9 91 LEVELING MACHINE Filed July 16, 1947 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 /2 I frwenibr' l D I FredL/Vwney I A I egg Patented Dec. 28, 1948 LEVELING MACHINE Fred L. Mooney,:-Lynn, Mass, assignor to United Shoe Machinery Corporation, Flemington, N. J., a corporation of New Jersey Application July 16, 1947, Serial No. 761,181

This invention relates to machines for operating on shoes and more particularly to machines for shaping or leveling the bottoms of shoes. The invention is herein illustrated with reference to a fluid-pressure-operated leveling machine of the type illustrated in Letters Patent of the United States No. 2,230,244, granted February 4, 1941, in the names of Fred V. Hart and John J. Austin.

Machines of the type illustrated in the aforementioned patent are provided with a leveling roll which is held by springs, during. the leveling operation, in engagement with the bottom of a shoe carried by a support mounted for swinging movements in directions lengthwise of the shoe thereon. Fluid-pressure-operated mechanism under the control of the operator is provided for imparting swinging movements to the shoe support during the leveling operation and for imparting tipping movements to the leveling roll. A fluid-pressure-operated motor is also provided for lifting the leveling roll against the action of the springs whenever desired during the leveling operation.

With the machine at rest and the shoe support located forwardly of the leveling roll to permit removal of a shoe from the support or positioning of a shoe thereon, the roll is held by the springs below the position it normally assumes during the leveling operation. To prevent stubbing the toe of the shoe when the support is initially moved rearwardly at the beginning of a leveling. operation, the roll is lifted by the aforementioned fluid-pressure motor against the action of the springs. This motor is controlled by a valve which is positioned to direct pressure fluid to the motor when the support is in its forward position. Fluid is delivered by a pump under the control of a pressure-regulating valve which is automatically positioned with the support of its forward position to by-pass pressure fluid to a fluid reservoir. This pressure-regulating valve is operated upon straightening a pair of toggle links to shut off the by-pass so that the pressure of the fluid delivered to the various motors is high enough to operate the various mechanisms.

Upon rearward movement of the shoe support from its forward position a rod controlled thereby is moved forwardly and this forward movement of the rod is utilized to straighten the toggle links operating the pressure-regulating valve whereupon fluid under pressure is delivered to the rolllifting motor and the roll is lifted to permit movement of the toe end of the shoe thereunder. Upon further movement of the support the valve controlling the roll-liftin motor operatesto shut off 5 Claims. (Cl. 12-34) the flow of pressure fluid to the motor subjecting the roll again to the action of the springs which press the roll against the shoe bottom.

This mechanism heretofore employed for lifting the roll at the beginning of a leveling operation is satisfactory providing that the operator does not move the shoe support rearwardly too fast. If, however, the support is moved rearwardly sufliciently fast, the toe end of the shoe may move into operative relation to the roll before the pressure has an opportunity to build up in the system and lift the roll. Consequently some operators, in attempting to attain a high rate of production with the machine, may experience difficulties by stubbing the toe end of the shoe against the leveling roll. An object of thepresent invention is to overcome this difficulty by providing mechanism for very rapidly rendering the rolllifting means operative in response to the initial rearward movement of the shoe support so that regardless of the rate of rearward movement of the support the roll will be lifted against the action of the springs before the toe end of the shoe moves thereunder.

This is accomplished in accordance with. a feature of the invention by urging a control member for the roll-lifting mechanism into pressure-applying position by a spring and providing a latch for holding the member in a position in which it is ineffective to operate the roll-lifting mechanism, against the action of the spring with the support in its forward position. This latch is immediately released upon the initial rearward movement of the shoe support thereby minimizing the delay in operating the roll-lifting mechanism.

During the forward movement of the shoe support at the conclusion of the leveling operation mechanism controlled thereby moves the control member back into its ineffective position after which the latch becomes operative to hold it in that position.

The above and other features of the invention, including various novel combinations of parts and details of construction, will now be described by reference to the accompanying drawings and pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings: Fig. 1 is a view in right-hand side elevationof a machine in which the invention is embodied, parts of the structure being broken away and other parts being shown in section;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation on a large scale of the mechanism for operating the pressure-regulating valve, the parts being shown in the positions ascarry the shoe rearwardly and forwardly-beneath a leveling roll ii. The leveling roll is mounted for turning movement on a rod "-l li 'l nciiil 'limdfihl a holder 48 which is pivotally' conrreeted' at ffi to a carrier 22. This carrier is mounted for tipping movements laterally of the machine aboutthe axis of a'forwardly and rearwardly extending shaft 24 supported in bearings at the top' of the machine.

The holder 48 has a rea-r-wardly extendi ngzaiim i fi oonneoted by a short 2-8 to the rearward-1y extending amin -3B of -a Joell cranklever 32- f=ulchurned atM-to the carrier 22. =Th-e-bel1 crank lever ihas downwardly extending arms *3 6 carryi-ng trunnions 38 extendin into a circumferential groove-" 40 formed in a --bus-h=ing -42 wslidahly 'mounted on the: shaft -24. Pivota-lly mountedvon a laterallyextending shaft 4' 5 supported bysuitable beanings in-the-frame of the machine --is-an upwardly extending arm 4 6 the upper portion of which carriestrunn-ions 48- extending into a circumferential groove 50 in --the bushing 12. lvI-ountedon the shaft 44 .is a downwardiy extend ing yoke5l to whichis connected, by-a threaded rod #52, a;yokeshaped member M in which is pivoted a lever 56. This lever has oppositely extending arms .of equal lengths to the ends of which are connected compression springs 58, 633 theglatter bearing against an abutment '32 pivoted at 54 to the frame of the machine. The; spring 58 atfits upper end engages an abutment "B6 pivotally connected toxan arm 70 integral with the arm '46. These"springsact to rock the arm 46 in a clockwise direction, movingth'e bushing 'flirearwardlyalon'g the shaft '24 an'durgin'g'fthe roll 'M downwardly to exert'lev'eling pressure against the shoe bottom. With' the shoe Support in itsgfiorw'ard position, thesesprings hold the roll in aipbsition j below that" which it" normally T'assmiles in the levelin operation, as shown in "Fig; 1. t t

in order to prevent'stubbin'g the toeof the shoe when theshoe support is moved rearwardly'to carry the toe "en'd'of the shoe beneath the'leveling roll; provision is'm'ade for liftingtt he'roll against theaction of-the springs 58 and-60. Integral with the arm' '45 isjan arm-'f'l2 connected "by an adjustable link! to one end of alever 76 pivoted intermediate its ends on a pinilfl'an dits opposite end carrying trunnions fi'fl extending into fa peripheral groove formed in the upperendo'f a plunger-82. This plunger projects upwardly from a 'piston movable" vertically in a' cylinder 8 3 as shownin detail in Patent N 2.2361244 referred to-abov'e. Upon-the introduction of pressure' fiuid into the lower end of the cylinder 84 the lever 76 is rocked in a counterclockwise direction causing theneveling roll l4'to be lifted against the action of th 'sprin'gs fiaafid 60.

Intro'duction of pressure-fluid intothebylinder 84 is controlled by a' valve 86 thelower'end "of which is c'onn'ected by ;apipe88 with a p'res sure regulatin 'va'lve B0 arranged upon downward movement oi a plunger" 92 1 todirecfi' fiu'id under pressure to the valve 86 from which it may be delivered to the cylinder 84 when the valve 86 is properly positioned. The constructions of the valves 86 and 90 are illustrated in detail in the aforementioned patent to which reference may be made for a detailed description thereof, although it is to be understood that in so far as the present invention is concerned the Valves need not be con 'structed precisely as shown in that patent. It is sufficient to state here that when the plunger 92 o'f the pressure-regulatin valve ti) is inthe po- -sitiont i-llustrated in Fig. 1 the discharge side of the pump, by which pressure fluid is delivered to clre'vairi' arts or-the machine, is by-passed to the fiiii ervoir but when the plunger 92 is espresso-d his by pass is cut ofi and fluid at sufficientlyhigh pressure to operate the various instrumentalities of the machine is delivered by the pump. The valve 86 has a stem 94 which, when in its upper position as shown in Fig. 1, delivers pressure fluid from the valve -99 to-the cylinder '84 butwhen-thestem is depressed thefiow of pressure fluid to the cylinder 84 is cutoff-and the cylinder"isallowedto exhaust. Thus it 'willbe understood-that as "soon as the plunger 92 is depressed-at the beginning of a leveling operation, in a manner to befiescribed, pressure fluid flows into the valveBi'i and thence to the cylinder-84 to 'li-ft the leveling roll-against the action of-the springs 58 and 60. Subsequently the fstemtfiof the valve'86 is depressed to exhaust the cylinder 84 so: that the-"leveling roll is forced downwardly into engagement with the shoe bottom by the -'sp=rings' '58 andiili. Thus it will be seen thatthe initial lifting of the leveling roll isdependentonly upondownward movement of the plungerr92 to operate the pressure-regulating valve Qt.

T0 the upper en'd'of the plun'ger iifl'is connected a -'li1 1'k"96, the upper'end of which ispivoted to the l'owerend or 'a depending arm'da of a bell crank l'ev'e'r I00 secured toa rockshaftlii? shown mostly clea'rly in- Fig. 2. The link-96 and the ar'm 9B of the bell crank lever form a toggle'which .isistraightenea "upon clockwise movement or the bell erauk -iieverthereby'to move the plungersz downwardly, operating the pressureJegula't'ing valvei'to suppiy'pressure 'fluid to the cylinder 8 A as"'we11' a'sto the fiuidpressure motors for operat- ='in'g"the-ja'ck and tipping the leveling roll, as described in the aforementioned patent. The toggle 9B,"='98is arranged tobe straightened at the beginning or therearward movement'of the shoe 'siipport so tha't no matter how fast the shoe support is move'd-to carry the shoe beneath th'e leveling'rollthe pressure-regulating valve will be operated "early enough to insure admission or pressure-fluid into thecylin'der' 84 to lift the levelin' 'roiianu'prevent s'tubbingof the toe.

"-"I-he"be"l1'crank lever N30 has a'rearwardly ex;- t'end'iiig-arm IM (Fig.2) to the rearward end or which 'isjconnected a spring H36 by means of an' ey'ebolt 1-08 passing through a pin H0 in the rearward end of the arm lit. The lower end of the spring'isconnected to a bracket HZ secured to the upper end'of the casing of the pressureregulatin'gvalve '90, the action of the spring being to-move the bell crank lever 100 in a clockwise directi'on causing straightening of the toggle 96, '33. :The toggle is locked in brokenposition, as shown in: Figs} 1 and 2, when the shoe support is in forwardm'ostposition, thereby to relieve th'e load-on the' pump. For thus locking the toggle ini-ts brokenp'ositiona'n arm ll 1 is secured to the shaft-Wand carries apin I I8 engageable-w'ith alatch "l "pivoted on a bracket i2 l secured to a rod I22 mounted for sliding movement forwardly and rearwardly of the machine.

The latch I20 is held in locking engagement with the pin H8 in the arm H4 to maintain the toggle broken and the valve plunger 92 in its upper position, with the shoe support inloading position, by a spring I24 secured to a depending portion of the latch I20 and to the bracket I2I. At the beginning of the rearward movement of the shoe support the rod I22 is moved forwardly, as will be explained, and this initial forward movement operates to free the latch I20 from locking engagement with the pin IIB. For this purpose a latch release arm I 26 is joumaled on the shaft I02 and extends rearwardly resting against a shoulder I28 on the upper portion of the latch. A spring I30, connected between an upwardly extending ear I32 on the arm I26 and a bracket I34 carried by the machine frame, holds the rearward end of the arm I26 against the upper surface of the latch. As soon as the rod I22 is moved forwardly the latch is caused to pivot by its engagement with the arm I26 in a clockwise direction against the force of the spring I24 lifting the forward end of the latch out of engagement with the pin I I8 as shown in Fig. 3, whereupon the spring I06 snaps the toggle into straightened position moving the plunger 92 of the valve 90 downwardly. The arms 96, 68 of the toggle are prevented from moving beyond the straightened position by coacting shoulders I36 formed thereon as shown in Fig. 3.

The forward end of the rod I22 is pivoted at I38 (Fig. l) to an arm I40 secured to a rockshaft I42 carried by the frame of the machine. Also secured to the rockshaft I42 is an upwardly extending arm I44 carrying at its upper end a roll I46 engageable with a downwardly extending arm I 48 carried by the shoe support I0. The rod I22 carries a locknut I50 forming an abutment for one end of a coil spring I52 surrounding the rod, the other end acting against a. fixed stop I 54 on the machine frame. The spring I52 urges the rod I22 forwardly holding the roll I46 at the upper end of the arm I 44 in engagement with the arm I48 carried by the shoe support. Upon rearward movement of the shoe support to carry the shoe into operative relation to the leveling roll the arm I48 moves forwardly whereupon the spring I52 causes forward movement of the rod I22 which releases the latch I20 (Fig. 3) and the toggle is immediately straightened by the spring I06. This causes the leveling roll to be moved upwardly against the action of the springs 58, 60 to permit the shoe to pass under the leveling roll without stubbing the toe. Upon further rearward movement of the shoe support the rod I22 moves forwardly to carry the latch I20 into the position shown in Fig. 4. The extent of forward movement of the rod I22 under the action of the spring I52 is limited by an arm I56 (Fig. l) secured to the shaft I 42. This arm carries a pin I58 movable in a slot I60 in the upper end of a bar I62 secured to a treadle I64 pivoted at I66 to the base of the machine. The treadle is normally held in the position shown in Fig. 1 by a spring I68 the upper position of the treadle being determined by a stop screw I10. When the pin I58 in the arm I56 reaches the upper end of the slot I60 the forward movement of the rod I22 is stopped and movement of the shoe support forwardly and rearwardly will have no effect on the rod until the support is moved forwardly enough to bring the extreme toe end of the shoe below the leveling roll.

At a predetermined point in the forward movement of the rod I22 during movement of the shoe support to carry the shoe beneath the leveling roll the valve 86 is operated to cut off the flow of fluid into the cylinder 84 and to exhaust fluid therefrom so that the roll is forced by spring pressure into engagement with the shoe bottom. This operation of the valve 86 is effected by a lever I12 connected by links H4 to the valve plunger 94. The lever is pivotally carried by a pin I16 and has an upwardly extending arm II8 carrying an eye bolt I to which is connected one end of a spring I82 the other end bein connected to a pin I84 carried by the frame of the machine. The spring I82 acts to swing the lever H2 in a direction to move the valve stem 94 upwardly. The rod I22 carries an abutment I86 which acts on a downwardly extending arm I90 of the lever I72 to move the lever in a clockwise direction against the action of the spring I82 at a predetermined point in the forward movement of the rod. The abutment I86 is adjusted lengthwise of the rod so that it will act to move the lever I76 at the time that the toe end of the shoe moves under the roll I4 so that the roll is moved by spring pressure against the shoe bottom. At any time during the leveling operation, the operator, by stepping on the treadle I64, can impart rear- Ward movement to the rod I22 sufficient to operate the valve 86 and lift the roll.

ttion shown in Fig. 4 back to the position shown in Fig. 2. At the beginning of this rearward movement the valve s6 is operated to lift the leveling roll and then the latch I20 moves the arm I I4 in a counterclockwise direction which causes simi" ar movement of the bell crank lever I00, thus breaking the toggle. When the shoe support reaches its original or loading position the shoulder 28 of the latch E20 again engages the forward end of the arm I26, as shown in Fig. 2 thereby locking the latch in operative position with respect to the pin H8.

From the above it will be seen that upon very slight forward movement of the rod I22 the latch l26 holding the toggle in broken position is Treleased whereupon the toggle straightens under the action of the spring I06 operating the pressure-regulating valve to apply pressure to the roll lifting mechanism, thus insuring that the roll will be lifted above the position it normally assumes during the leveling operation before the toe end of the shoe passes thereunder. By causing this rapid actuation of the pressure-regulating valve the danger that the pressure will not be built up sufficiently to lift the roll, in the event that the operator moves the jack rearwardly very fast, is substantially eliminated. Thus he is able to operate the machine at somewhat higher speed than was heretofore possible thereby obtaining higher production therefrom, while substantially reducing the danger of damaging the work.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. In a leveling machine, a shoe support, a leveling tool, means mounting said support for movement in directions lengthwise of a shoe thereon to cause the leveling tool to operate progressively along the shoe bottom, spring means for pressing the leveling tool upon the bottom of the shoe, mechanism for lifting said tool against the action antenna};

of said -sprimermeans;-v latch .mea-ns -rendei ing said meohanism inefieotivewith the shoe; support; in

itsgforwardmofiiposition in which-a shoe. carried thereon is located forwardly of the leveling tool,-

meansoperative-upon release oi said-latch means" for-;r endei7ing.said mechanism immediately; effective;: and means operative in response to thednitiai reaawtardmovement of said. shoe support for.

releasing said latch means; 7

2.; Inralevelingmachine, a shoesupport; aglevelj ins; tool-,- means mounting said support foi; move:

ment 2 111;CHZECHOI1S lengthwise of a shoethereon tqeausethe. ietv'eling' tool? to operate progressively alongthe :shoe bottom; spring vmeans for pressing; the --l eveling;-.tool uponthe bottom of the shed mechanism for lifting saidtool against 'thervactioni oi -isaid pring means, latch means-rendering; said ism ineffective with the shoesupportlin -itsingftooli'for ;-rendering said mechanism ineffective-- whereupon the tool ,isheld by the spring-means, against the shoe bottom during the levelingopera: tion';

3s In-a leveling-machine, a shoe support, a leveling tool, means mounting said shoe support for movement indireotions lengthwise of a shoe on theesuppOrtto cause the leveling tool to operate progressively along the shoe bottom, s ring means for pressing the leveling tool upon the bottomof the shoe, a toggle; mechanism operative upon straightening said toggle for lifting the tool againstlthe action of said spring means, a spring urgingsaid toggle into straightened position, latch-means holding said toggle in broken position with the shoe support in its forwardmost position in which a shoe carried thereon is located fonwardly of the leveling tool, means operative in response to initial rearward movement of said shoe-support for releasing said latch means, and

means operativein response to further rearwardthefspring-vmeans against the shoe bottom during the, leveling operation.-

15.. n sa d a d 2G of Said IfOGiIO 4 n a/leyelia maehineta shoasuppprtzaleveh s tool, a s meantime-sa d; shoeisupport o movem nt; in 'sctions len t wise n. a h here ns for pressing the eyelingtooli upon the. bottoms of a; shoe; a toggle,-; mechanism operative upon trai hten n seidt' q el r li-fti a hetooL- agains theaction of said spring 'means; a; spring 10. urging aid-toggle into straightened position; latch rn eans holdingg saidr togglein broken position'with, tlgl e shoeisuppgrtfir jts forwardmost positionarodmoyableu torwardly, and rearwardl-y; of; said ma:

neanspivotally;mountingsaid latch means means-ur ing said rod forwardly of the maehi mean's carried; by said shoe support for holding sa d rod -inv a 1 rearward position with:- the. shoe SP-PPOr-t in its forward positiomfind; means operative: upon initial forward movement ;its ;r earward position fonrelease ingl said; latchmeans.

5- z i etmachin ta'shoeisupport, aleveling tool,- means mounting; said-shoesupportfor nlOVementin, directionslength-Wise; of a shoe gmthereon to causetthalevelinggtool to operate-pro;-

gresstvely; alonggthe shoe; bottom-,ispring means for= Pressing; the; leveling-tool upon the bottom of: a shoe,v a toggl e; mechanism operative upon straightening said toggle gfor, liiting' the-tool. against-the action Jot sai -d spring means a. springt inasaidtoes o.. t raighten1 position-,.1a tcnmeans holding said toggleQn-bnoken;position with: h l?1$ I-tt ng l sgforwardmostposition; a rod movable Jopwardly and-; rearwar.dl'y of? said ea hi' means pivotally mounting-; said latch meanson, said rod,; m nsiurgi-n-g; said rod :for-

war dly 0 fthe rnachina means carried by said shoessupppttg for; holdingusaid rod in a. rearward positio'n with the shoersu-p'port in. its forward posie uca, means ppenativefuponinitiai foiwward mOVGT ment ot said rodt from earwardposition for releasing-said latch means; and means-operative uponlfu gt er iorward movement o-f saidrod inresp onwse-w to 7 mo' zement of; the I shoe i support to;

45; carry the,shoegbeneathrtfihetleveling toolior ren--.;

dering saidime hani inefiective fwhereupon the;

tooll'is, heldby the springi-means-aaainst the shoe bottom ,durin r-the .leveling operation,

ERED,L.,Y-MOONEFY.

No rireiiisl citedf ause-s-thezletelingitool to operate p ov r s ve y l l n -thesshoe bot m, rine.; ;m ans 

